Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero (born April 15, 1978), known by his stage name Luis Fonsi (), is a Puerto Rican singer. He is known for multiple songs, one of them being "
Despacito
"Despacito" (; "Slowly") is a song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi featuring Puerto Rican rapper and singer Daddy Yankee as the lead single from Fonsi's 2019 studio album '' Vida''. Released on January 12, 2017, the song was written by Fonsi ...
" featuring rapper
Daddy Yankee
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, composer, and actor. Known as the " King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike, he is the artist who coined ...
.
Fonsi received his first
Latin Grammy Award
The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been ...
nominations in the ''Record of the Year'' category and won ''Song of the Year'' thanks to the song "
Aquí Estoy Yo". The song also won three
''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards. "Despacito" became Fonsi's biggest success, winning four Latin Grammy Awards, seven ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards, five
''Billboard'' Music Awards and three
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s nominations. He also won one
Latin American Music Award
The Latin American Music Awards (Latin AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by the MRC Live and Alternative. It is the Spanish-language counterpart of the American Music Awards (AMAs). As with AMAs, the Latin AMAs are determine ...
for "
Échame la Culpa
"Échame la Culpa" (; ) is a song by Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Luis Fonsi and American singer Demi Lovato. Fonsi co-wrote the song with Alejandro Rengifo and its producers Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo. It was released through ...
" with
Demi Lovato
Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...
.
As of 2018, Fonsi has broken six
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
and sold more than 11 million records with "Despacito", whose
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
was the
most-watched YouTube video of all time until November 2020, with over 7 billion views.
Early life
Fonsi was born on April 15, 1978 in
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the jur ...
, the oldest child of Alfonso Rodríguez and Delia López-Cepero. He has two younger siblings:
Jean Rodríguez
Jean Carlos Rodríguez López-Cepero (born December 10, 1980), also known as Jean, is a Puerto Rican singer, the younger brother of Luis Fonsi. Rodríguez has released a handful of solo albums and mixtapes, hitting number one on ''Billboard'' L ...
, who also is a singer, and Tatiana Rodríguez.
Growing up, Fonsi idolized the stars of the popular group
Menudo, and the
San Juan Children's Choir
The San Juan Children's Choir (''Coro de Niños de San Juan'' in Spanish) is a children's choir from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The group was founded in 1966 by its director, Evy Lucío Córdova.
The Choir usually accepts participants from the age of 6 ...
.
At the age of 10, his family decided to move from Puerto Rico and relocated to
Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
. He attended Westridge Middle School and
Dr. Phillips High School
Dr. Phillips High School is a public high school in Dr. Phillips, Florida, United States, near Orlando.
It serves the Dr. Phillips census-designated place (CDP), the Bay Hill CDP, and the residential portion of Lake Buena Vista.
History
Dr ...
, both in Orlando. During his high school years, he participated in an
a cappella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
group called "The Big Guys". They sang at school parties and local festivals. One of the members of the group,
Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. (born January 28, 1977) is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband NSYNC, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reali ...
, later joined
*NSYNC.
In 1995, Fonsi enrolled at
Florida State University
Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...
School of Music on a full scholarship, He also joined the school's
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
, the Florida State University Singers, and sang with the
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. It is the resident orchestra at Symphony Hall: a B:Music Venue in Birmingham, which has been its principal performance venue since 1991. Its a ...
. Eventually, he dropped out in order to pursue a career in music. Soon after, he was offered a recording contract by
Universal Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment, a division of Universal Music Group, is a record company specialized in producing and distributing Latin music in Mexico, the United States, and Puerto Rico. UMLE includes famous Latin music labels such as Uni ...
.
Career
1997–2006: Early albums
![Luis Fonsi (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Luis_Fonsi_%28cropped%29.JPG)
In 1997, Fonsi recorded his debut album, ''
Comenzaré'' (''I Will Begin''), released in 1998. The record peaked at number 11 on ''Billboard''s Top Latin Albums chart and contained the singles "Si Tú Quisieras", "Perdóname", "Dime Como", and "Me Iré".
''Comenzaré'' became a hit in Puerto Rico and across Latin America, with Fonsi doing well in markets like Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, and Venezuela. His 2000 follow-up, ''
Eterno'', was even more successful. Around this time, Fonsi also recorded a duet with
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
for her 2000 Spanish-language album, ''
Mi Reflejo
''Mi Reflejo'' (English: ''My Reflection'') is the second studio album and first Spanish-language album by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on September 12, 2000, as a joint effort between RCA Records and BMG U.S. Latin. After ...
''. On May 1, 2000, Fonsi performed at the
Great Jubilee Concert for a Debt-Free World, an outdoor concert in Rome, attended by
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
. That same year,
Ednita Nazario
Edna María Nazario Figueroa (born April 11, 1955) is a Puerto Rican musician, singer, and composer who has achieved stardom both at home and abroad. She has been in the music business from a young age and has released twenty-three (23) studio ...
won a
Latin Grammy Award
The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been ...
for a song composed by Fonsi. He also performed, with other artists, at the White House in honor of the victims of the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
.
In 2002, Fonsi was the opening act for
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
'
Dream Within a Dream Tour
The Dream Within a Dream Tour was the fourth concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. It was launched in support of her third studio album, '' Britney'' (2001). The tour was promoted by Concerts West, marking the first time Spears di ...
in the US and Mexico. In the same year he debuted his English album "Fight The Feeling" trying to do a crossover with the first single "Secret" featuring
Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. (born January 28, 1977) is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband NSYNC, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reali ...
in the video. In 2003, Luis Fonsi performed to billions of viewers across the globe at
Miss World 2003
Miss World 2003 was the 53rd edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, China on 6 December 2003.
At the end of the event, Azra Akın of Turkey crowned Rosanna Davison of Ireland as Miss World 2003. ...
in China.
His fifth CD, ''
Abrazar la vida'', sold very well, which opened new markets in Europe. "¿Quién Te Dijo Eso?" reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Latin charts. During his time in the studio for the next album, Fonsi recorded "Amazing", a duet with
Spice Girl Emma Bunton
Emma Lee Bunton (born 21 January 1976) is an English singer, songwriter, actress, and media personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Baby Spice. With over 100 million recor ...
for her 2004 album ''
Free Me''. His sixth CD, ''
Paso a Paso'', debuted at number one and sent him into international markets. "
Nada Es Para Siempre
"Nada Es Para Siempre" ( en, italic=yes, Nothing Is Forever) is a ballad written by Amaury Gutiérrez, produced by Sebastián Krys and performed by Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter Luis Fonsi, It was released as the first single from six ...
" also reached number one on the music charts, and was a nominee for the Latin Grammy Awards. In 2006, he contributed to ''El Piruli'', a tribute album honoring
Víctor Yturbe
Víctor Yturbe (born Víctor Manuel De Anda Iturbe; May 8, 1936 – November 28, 1987) was a Mexican singer under the stage name " El Pirulí".
Career
Yturbe was born in Mexico City. In the 1960s, he made his first contact with the artistic wor ...
, singing a classic
bolero
Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...
, "Historia de un Amor".
2007–2015: ''Palabras del Silencio'', ''Tierra Firme'', and ''8''
In 2007, Luis Fonsi was selected to be part of the jury of the new version of the Latino boy band
Menudo. The band would be a fusion of urban, pop and rock music in English and Spanish to produce several albums with the label of
Sony BMG
Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout o ...
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
. Several auditions were held in different cities such as
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
,
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
,
New York, among others. Fonsi was a part of the
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
competition where along the side of radio announcer
Daniel Luna they chose various contestants and in their pickings, rising star
JC Gonzalez
Juan Camilo Gonzalez (born March 8, 1990) is a Colombian actor and singer-songwriter. His career began in 2009, when he participated in television commercials and advertisements in Texas. Gonzalez was also a candidate on ''Making Menudo'', an MTV ...
was 1 of the 25 selected.
His seventh CD, ''
Palabras del Silencio'', debuted and stayed in the number one position for many weeks. Luis Fonsi entered the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the first time in September 2008 with his song "
No Me Doy por Vencido
"No Me Doy por Vencido" (English: ''I Don't Give Up'') is a Spanish language song performed by Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter Luis Fonsi. It was released on June 9, 2008, for the promotional and charity compilation, '' AT&T Team USA Sou ...
", debuting at number 98 and peaking at number 92. It reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Tracks chart, one of his biggest hits to date. "No Me Doy por Vencido" became ''Billboard''s "Latin Pop Song of the Decade", and spent 21 weeks at number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
In November 2009, Luis Fonsi was awarded a
Latin Grammy Award
The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been ...
for "Song of the Year" for his composition "
Aquí Estoy Yo".
On December 11, 2009, Fonsi performed at the
Nobel Peace Prize Concert
The Nobel Peace Prize Concert (Norwegian and Swedish: '')'' has been held annually since 1994 on 11 December, to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The award ceremony on 10 December takes place in Oslo City Hall, while the concert has been ...
in
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
, honoring recipient President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
.
In 2011, Fonsi released the album ''
Tierra Firme'', and went on tour to promote it throughout Latin America.
On July 9, 2011, Billboard named Fonsi "Leader of Latin Music's New Generation".
In 2014, Fonsi released his album ''
8'', a reference to his eighth career album. He then did a tour named "Somos Uno" in 2014–15. He also mentioned that acting would be on his career path and that he wouldn't mind acting with Mexican actors and actresses.
2017–present: "Despacito" and international success
![Luis Fonsi in concert](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Luis_Fonsi_in_concert.jpg)
In January 2017, "
Despacito
"Despacito" (; "Slowly") is a song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi featuring Puerto Rican rapper and singer Daddy Yankee as the lead single from Fonsi's 2019 studio album '' Vida''. Released on January 12, 2017, the song was written by Fonsi ...
" featuring
Daddy Yankee
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, composer, and actor. Known as the " King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike, he is the artist who coined ...
was promoted and released. On April 5, 2018, the music video reached five billion views on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
, with the song becoming number one in nearly every Latin ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' chart, and the most viewed video in the world. In April 2017, the song was given an English remix featuring Canadian singer
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
. The remix featuring Bieber reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the week ending May 27, 2017, becoming both Fonsi and Yankee's first number one on the chart, and Bieber's fifth. Bieber promoted the remix at one of his shows in Puerto Rico, inviting Fonsi onto stage to perform the duet with him. The song remained number one for 16 consecutive weeks, tying One Sweet Day, by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men as the longest reigning top song in the chart's history.
On August 15, 2017, Fonsi was named the tourism ambassador of Puerto Rico.
In November 2017, he released the song "
Échame la Culpa
"Échame la Culpa" (; ) is a song by Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Luis Fonsi and American singer Demi Lovato. Fonsi co-wrote the song with Alejandro Rengifo and its producers Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo. It was released through ...
", featuring
Demi Lovato
Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...
, which debuted at number three on the Hot Latin chart. The song won Song of the Year at the
Latin American Music Awards of 2018
The 4th Annual Latin American Music Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. It was broadcast live on Telemundo. J Balvin and Ozuna led the nominations with nine each. The latter and boyband CNCO got the most awards with t ...
and received one nomination for Best Latin at the
MTV Video Music Awards. As of 2018, the song had sold more than 1 million copies worldwide.
In June 2018, Fonsi released the single "
Calypso", with
Stefflon Don
Stephanie Victoria Allen (born 14 December 1991), better known by her stage name Stefflon Don, is a British rapper and singer. She rose to fame after her 2017 single " Hurtin' Me" featuring French Montana peaked at number 7 on UK Singles Chart ...
. The song peaked at number 11 on the Hot Latin chart. On November 2, 2018, he collaborated on the track "
Baby" by
Clean Bandit
Clean Bandit are an English electronic music group, formed in Cambridge in 2008. They have had four number 1 hits and ten top 10 hits on the UK Singles Chart. They direct and produce their own music videos, many of which have been nominated for ...
from their
second studio album. The song peaked at number 13 on the
''Billboard'' Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and at number 15 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
In October 2018, he collaborated with Italian singer
Eros Ramazzotti for the song "
Per le strade una canzone", from the album ''
Vita ce n'è''.
On January 13, 2019, the singer joined with
Wisin
Juan Luis Morera Luna (; born December 19, 1978), best known as his stage name Wisin (), is a Puerto Rican reggaeton rapper, singer and record producer, best known as a member of the reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel. Wisin is noted for his unique and ...
,
Alejandra Guzmán
Gabriela Alejandra Guzmán Pinal (born February 9, 1968), known professionally as Alejandra Guzmán, and nicknamed "La Reina de Corazones" (The Queen of Hearts) is a Mexican musician, singer, composer, and actress. With more than 30 million album ...
and
Carlos Vives
Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo (born 7 August 1961) is a Colombian singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his interpretation of traditional music styles of Colombia such as vallenato, cumbia, champeta, bambuco and porro as well as genres ...
as coaches of the first Spanish season of
''La Voz'' by
Telemundo
Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language Terrestrial television, terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Television and Streaming#NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a divi ...
.
After five years since ''
8'', on February 1, 2019 his 10th studio album, ''
Vida
Vida means “life” in Spanish and Portuguese. It may refer to:
Geography
* Vida (Gradačac), village in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Lake Vida, Victoria Valley, Antarctica
* U.S. settled places:
** Vida, Montana
** Vida, Oregon
** Vida, Missour ...
'' was released. The track list contains "Despacito (Remix) ", "
Échame la Culpa
"Échame la Culpa" (; ) is a song by Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Luis Fonsi and American singer Demi Lovato. Fonsi co-wrote the song with Alejandro Rengifo and its producers Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo. It was released through ...
" and "Sola". The album topped the
''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart and
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
albums chart, and entered at number 18 on the ''Billboard'' 200.
In 2019, Fonsi performed "Right Where I'm Supposed to Be" as the official song of the
2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area.
...
, United Arab Emirates in collaboration with
Ryan Tedder
Ryan Tedder (born June 26, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. As well as being the lead vocalist of the pop rock band OneRepublic, he has an independent career as a songwriter and producer for various artists since th ...
,
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. At age 16, she signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut studio album, ''Let Go (Avril Lavigne album), Let Go'' (2002), is the ...
,
Hussain Al Jassmi
Hussain Al Jassmi ( ar, حسين الجسمي ; born August 25, 1979) is an Emirati pianist, composer, musician and singer who is well known in the Arab world. Al Jassmi was born in Khorfakkan in August 1979 to Emirati parents. He released his fi ...
,
Assala Nasri
Assala Mostafa Hatem Nasri ( ar, أصالة مصطفى حاتم نصري; born 15 May 1969), commonly known as Assala ( ar, أصالة), is a Syrian musical artist. She is one of the most popular and famous Arab singers.
Early life and career ...
and
Tamer Hosny Tamer is a Turkish given name and surname. It means ''Competent soldier'' in Turkish. In Arabic (written as تامر), the name is more closely related to Tamr (as in dates).
Persons Given name
* Tamer Abdel Hamid, Egyptian football player
* Tamer ...
.
On July 26, 2019, Fonsi performed at the opening ceremony of the
2019 Pan American Games in
Lima
Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...
, Peru. He sang his songs including his worldwide hit "Despacito" at the ceremony.
Film and television appearances
In 1992, Fonsi made a brief cameo in the romance film ''
Como Agua Para Chocolate'' in which he played the friend of the male lead, Pedro Múzquiz.
In 2004, Fonsi made his second acting appearance on the Mexican
telenovela
A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar drama genres around the world include '' teleserye'' ...
named ''
Corazones al límite
''Corazones al límite'' (English: ''Hearts to the Limit'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Roberto Hernández Vázquez for Televisa in 2004.
On Monday, March 15, 2004, Canal de las Estrellas started broadcasting ''Corazones al límite'' wee ...
'' in which he played Roy. He also had a special appearance in 2001 on the
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
television series ''
Taina''. Fonsi joined the cast of Broadway's ''Forever Tango'' for a two-week engagement in August 2013
Personal life
In 2003, Fonsi started to become romantically interested in actress
Adamari López, who, as a
Univision
Univision () is an American Spanish-language free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the Latino public and includes ...
artist and fellow Puerto Rican, constantly found herself near Fonsi.
That same year, Fonsi released the song "Abrazar la vida" ("To Embrace the Life"), off the eponymous album. The song would later become one of López's favorites.
During 2005, Fonsi was in the middle of an international tour that was abruptly cancelled when López was diagnosed with
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
. Fonsi promised to stay by her side, and traveled with her to Mexico, Miami, and Puerto Rico for various treatment and work-related trips.
[ She had been in remission since 2006.
On June 3, 2006, Fonsi and Adamari López were married in a religious ceremony in ]Guaynabo
Guaynabo (, ) is a city, suburb of San Juan and municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas, south of Cataño, east of Bayamón, and west of San Juan. Guaynabo is spr ...
, Puerto Rico, attended by many celebrities including Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. (born January 28, 1977) is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband NSYNC, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reali ...
, Charytín Goyco
Charytín Goyco (born María del Rosario Goico Rodríguez, on May 23, 1949 in Santa Lucía), better known in show business as simply Charytín, is a Dominican singer, television hostess and actress.
Early life
Born in Santa Lucía, El Seibo, ...
, Ednita Nazario
Edna María Nazario Figueroa (born April 11, 1955) is a Puerto Rican musician, singer, and composer who has achieved stardom both at home and abroad. She has been in the music business from a young age and has released twenty-three (23) studio ...
and Carlos Ponce
Carlos Armando Ponce Freyre Jr. (born September 4, 1972) is a Puerto Rican actor, musician, model, and television personality. Ponce began his acting career by participating in Spanish language soap operas for Televisa and Telemundo. Ponce contin ...
, as well as his brother Jean Rodríguez. On November 8, 2010, they officially divorced.
Fonsi and Spanish model
A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin ''modulus'', a measure.
Models c ...
Águeda López were married on September 10, 2014, after three years of living together. They had their first child together, a daughter, in December 2011 in Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
. On December 20, 2016, they welcomed their second child, a son.
Philanthropy
Since 2008, Luis Fonsi has been an ambassador of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which fights against childhood cancer
Childhood cancer is cancer in a child. About 80% of childhood cancer cases can be successfully treated thanks to modern medical treatments and optimal patient care. However, only about 10% of children diagnosed with cancer reside in high-income cou ...
. In 2017, the ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards honored him with the Spirit of Hope Award for his humanitarian work.
After Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria was a deadly Saffir–Simpson scale#Category 5, Category 5 Tropical cyclone, hurricane that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly Dominica, Saint Croix, and Puerto Rico. It is regarded as the wo ...
struck Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in 2017, the singer became one of the major helpers to raise the islands from the devastation. For his contribution, he was honored with the Global Gift Philanthropy Award.
He is also a supporter of spreading Latin culture around the world.
Discography
Studio albums
*'' Comenzaré'' (1998)
*'' Eterno'' (2000)
*'' Amor Secreto'' (2002)
*'' Fight the Feeling'' (2002)
*'' Abrazar la vida'' (2003)
*'' Paso a Paso'' (2005)
*'' Palabras del Silencio'' (2008)
*'' Tierra Firme'' (2011)
*'' 8'' (2014)
*''Vida
Vida means “life” in Spanish and Portuguese. It may refer to:
Geography
* Vida (Gradačac), village in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Lake Vida, Victoria Valley, Antarctica
* U.S. settled places:
** Vida, Montana
** Vida, Oregon
** Vida, Missour ...
'' (2019)
*''Ley de Gravedad'' (2022)
Tours
* Comenzaré Tour (1998–99)
* Eterno Tour (2000–01)
* Amor Secreto Tour (2002)
* Abrazar La Vida Tour (2003–04)
* Paso a Paso Tour (2005–06)
* Palabras del Silencio Tour (2009–10)
* Tierra Firme Tour (2011–13)
* Somos Uno Tour (2014–15)
* Love + Dance World Tour
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the lov ...
(2017–18)
* Vida World Tour (2019)
* Noche Perfecta (2022)
Awards and nominations
American Music Awards
, -
, rowspan="4", 2017
, Luis Fonsi
, Favorite Latin Artist
,
, -
, rowspan="3", "Despacito
"Despacito" (; "Slowly") is a song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi featuring Puerto Rican rapper and singer Daddy Yankee as the lead single from Fonsi's 2019 studio album '' Vida''. Released on January 12, 2017, the song was written by Fonsi ...
"
, Collaboration of the Year
,
, -
, Favorite Pop/Rock Song
,
, -
, Video of the Year
,
ASCAP Awards
El Premio ASCAP
, -
, align="center", 2019
, "Échame la Culpa
"Échame la Culpa" (; ) is a song by Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Luis Fonsi and American singer Demi Lovato. Fonsi co-wrote the song with Alejandro Rengifo and its producers Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo. It was released through ...
"
, Award Winning Songs
,
Billboard Music Award
, -
, rowspan=7, 2018
, Luis Fonsi
, Top Latin Artist
,
, -
, rowspan=6, "Despacito"
, Top Hot 100 Song
,
, -
, Top Selling Song
,
, -
, Top Streaming Song (Audio)
,
, -
, Top Streaming Song (Video)
,
, -
, Top Collaborate
,
, -
, Top Latin Song
,
Billboard Latin Music Award
, -
, rowspan="2", 2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, "Nada Es Para Siempre"
, Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year – Male
,
, -
, "Paso A Paso"
, Latin Pop Album of the Year – Male
,
, -
, rowspan="5", 2009
, Luis Fonsi
, Your World Award (Premio Tu Mundo)
,
, -
, rowspan="3", "No Me Doy Por Vencido
"No Me Doy por Vencido" (English: ''I Don't Give Up'') is a Spanish language song performed by Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter Luis Fonsi. It was released on June 9, 2008, for the promotional and charity compilation, '' AT&T Team USA Sou ...
"
, Hot Latin Song of the Year
,
, -
, Hot Latin Song of the Year- Male
,
, -
, Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year, Male
,
, -
, "Palabras del Silencio"
, Latin Pop Album of the Year, Solo
,
, -
, rowspan=4, 2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, rowspan=3, Luis Fonsi
, Artist of the Year
,
, -
, Latin Pop Airplay Artist of the Year, Male
,
, -
, Latin Pop Albums Artist of the Year, Solo
,
, -
, rowspan=1, "Aqui Estoy Yo"
, Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=10, 2018
, rowspan=4, Luis Fonsi
, Artist of the Year
,
, -
, Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Male
,
, -
, Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo
,
, -
, Songwriter of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=6, "Despacito"
, Hot Latin Song of the Year
,
, -
, Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event
,
, -
, Airplay Song of the Year
,
, -
, Digital Song of the Year
,
, -
, Streaming Song of the Year
,
, -
, Latin Pop Song of the Year
,
, -
, 2019
, "Echáme La Culpa"
, Latin Pop Song of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=4, 2020
, Luis Fonsi
, Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo
,
, -
, "Date La Vuelta"
, Latin Pop Song of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Vida"
, Top Latin Album of the Year
,
, -
, Latin Pop Album of the Year
,
, -
BMI Awards
, -
, rowspan=4, 2018
, Luis Fonsi
, President's Award
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Despacito (Remix)"
, Contemporary Latin Song of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=2, Award Winning Songs
,
, -
, "Despacito"
,
Grammy Awards
, -
, rowspan=1, 2009
, rowspan=1, '' Palabras del Silencio''
, Best Latin Pop Album
The Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for releasing albums in the Latin pop genre. Honors in ...
,
, -
, rowspan=3, 2018
, rowspan=3, "Despacito (Remix)
"Despacito" (; "Slowly") is a song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi featuring Puerto Rican rapper and singer Daddy Yankee as the lead single from Fonsi's 2019 studio album '' Vida''. Released on January 12, 2017, the song was written by Fons ...
"
, Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...
,
, -
, Grammy Award for Song of the Year, Song of the Year
,
, -
, Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
,
, -
, 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, 2020
, ''Vida
Vida means “life” in Spanish and Portuguese. It may refer to:
Geography
* Vida (Gradačac), village in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Lake Vida, Victoria Valley, Antarctica
* U.S. settled places:
** Vida, Montana
** Vida, Oregon
** Vida, Missour ...
''
, Best Latin Pop Album
,
Heat Latin Music Awards
, -
, rowspan=2, 2019
, Luis Fonsi
, Best Male Artist
,
, -
, "Échame la Culpa, Échame La Culpa"
, Best Video
,
iHeartRadio Music Awards
, -
, rowspan=6, 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards, 2018
, rowspan=3, "Despacito (Remix)"
, Song of the Year
,
, -
, Best Collaboration
,
, -
, Best Remix
,
, -
, Luis Fonsi
, Latin Artist of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Despacito"
, Latin Song of the Year
,
, -
, Best Lyrics
,
, -
, 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards, 2019
, "Échame la Culpa"
, Latin Song of the Year
,
, -
Latin America Music Awards
, -
, rowspan=5, Latin American Music Awards of 2017, 2017
, rowspan=2, Luis Fonsi
, Artist of the Year
,
, -
, Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
,
, -
, rowspan=3, "Despacito"
, Song of the Year
,
, -
, Favorite Pop/Rock Song
,
, -
, Favorite Collaboration
,
, -
, rowspan=4, Latin American Music Awards of 2018, 2018
, rowspan=2, Luis Fonsi
, Artist of the Year
,
, -
, Favorite Pop Artist
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Échame La Culpa"
, Song of the Year
,
, -
, Favorite Pop Song
,
, -
, rowspan=4, Latin American Music Awards of 2019, 2019
, rowspan=1, Luis Fonsi
, Favorite Pop Artist
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Vida"
, Album of the Year
,
, -
, Favorite Pop Album
,
, -
, "Imposible"
, Favorite Pop Song
,
, -
Latin Grammy Awards
, -
, -
, rowspan=1, 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, 2009
, rowspan=1, " Aquí Estoy Yo"
, Song of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=4, 18th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, 2017
, rowspan=2, "Despacito"
, Record of the Year
,
, -
, Best Short Form Music Video
,
, -
, "Despacito"
, Song of the Year
,
, -
, "Despacito"
, Best Urban/Fusion Performance
,
, -
, rowspan=1, 20th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, 2019
, ''Vida
Vida means “life” in Spanish and Portuguese. It may refer to:
Geography
* Vida (Gradačac), village in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Lake Vida, Victoria Valley, Antarctica
* U.S. settled places:
** Vida, Montana
** Vida, Oregon
** Vida, Missour ...
''
, Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Album of the Year
,
LOS40 Music Awards
, -
, rowspan=5, LOS40 Music Awards 2017, 2017
, Luis Fonsi
, Best Latin Artist
,
, -
, rowspan=4, "Despacito"
, International Song of the Year
,
, -
, International Video of the Year
,
, -
, LOS40 Global Show Award
,
, -
, Golden Music Awards
,
MTV Europe Music Awards
, -
, 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards, 2017
, "Despacito"
, MTV Europe Music Award for Best Song, Best Song
,
MTV Millennial Awards
, -
, rowspan=2, 2017 MTV Millennial Awards, 2017
, rowspan=2, "Despacito"
, Collaboration of the Year
,
, -
, Best Party Anthem
,
, -
, 2018
, "Échame La Culpa"
, Hit of the Year
,
MTV Video Music Awards
, -
, 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, 2017
, "Despacito"
, Summer Song
,
, -
, 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, 2018
, "Échame La Culpa"
, Best Latin
,
Premio Lo Nuestro
, -
, rowspan=2, Premio Lo Nuestro 2005, 2005
, Luis Fonsi
, Male Artist of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, "Abrazar la Vida"
, Album of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, rowspan=4, Premio Lo Nuestro 2006, 2006
, Luis Fonsi
, Male Artist of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Nada Es Para Siempre"
, Song of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, Video of the Year
,
, -
, "Paso a Paso"
, Album of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, rowspan=2, Premio Lo Nuestro 2007, 2007
, Luis Fonsi
, Male Artist of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, "Por Una Mujer"
, Song of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, rowspan=1, Premio Lo Nuestro 2009, 2009
, rowspan=3, Luis Fonsi
, Male Artist of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, rowspan=4, Premio Lo Nuestro 2010, 2010
, Artist of the Year
,
, -
, Male Artist of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Aquí Estoy Yo"
, Collaboration of the Year
,
, -
, Song of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, rowspan=1, Premio Lo Nuestro 2012, 2012
, "Respira"
, Video of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=1, Premio Lo Nuestro 2013, 2013
, Luis Fonsi
, Male Artist of the Year – Pop
,
, -
, rowspan=1, Premio Lo Nuestro 2016, 2016
, "Llegaste Tú"
, Pop Song of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=1, Premio Lo Nuestro 2019, 2019
, "Calypso"
, Crossover Collaboration of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=5, Premio Lo Nuestro 2020, 2020
, rowspan=2, Luis Fonsi
, Pop/Rock Artist of the Year
,
, -
, Pop/Ballad Artist of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Imposible"
, Pop/Rock Collaboration of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=2, Urban/Pop Song of the Year
,
, -
, "Date La Vuelta"
,
, -
Swiss Music Awards
The Swiss Music Awards are presented the Press Play Association in conjunction with Media Control Switzerland to national and international musicians in over ten categories.
Teen Choice Awards
, -
, rowspan=4, 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, 2017
, Luis Fonsi
, Choice Latin Artist
,
, -
, rowspan=3, "Despacito"
, Choice Music Single – Male Artist
,
, -
, Choice Latin Song
,
, -
, Choice Summer Song
,
, -
, rowspan=2, 2018 Teen Choice Awards, 2018
, Luis Fonsi
, Choice Latin Artist
,
, -
, "Échame La Culpa"
, Choice Latin Song
,
Premios Juventud
, -
, rowspan=3, 2006 Premios Juventud, 2006
, rowspan=2, Luis Fonsi
, Favorite Pop Star
,
, -
, He's Got Style Award
,
, -
, Luis Fonsi & Adamari López
, Hottest Romance
,
, -
, rowspan=2, 2007 Premios Juventud, 2007
, rowspan=2, Luis Fonsi
, Favorite Pop Star
,
, -
, He's Got Style Award
,
, -
, rowspan=14, 2009 Premios Juventud, 2009
, rowspan=5, Luis Fonsi
, Voice of the Moment
,
, -
, Favorite Pop Artist
,
, -
, My Idol Is
,
, -
, What a Hottie!
,
, -
, He's Got Style Award
,
, -
, Adamari López and Luis Fonsi
, Hottest Romance
,
, -
, rowspan=4, "Aquí Estoy Yo"
, The Perfect Combination
,
, -
, My favorite Video
,
, -
, Catchiest Tune
,
, -
, rowspan=2, Best Ballad
,
, -
, rowspan=3, "No Me Doy Por Vencido"
,
, -
, The Perfect Combination
,
, -
, My Ringtone
,
, -
, "Palabras del Silencio"
, CD To Die For
,
, -
, rowspan=5, 2010 Premios Juventud, 2010
, rowspan=4, Luis Fonsi
, Voice of the Moment
,
, -
, My Favorite Concert
,
, -
, Favorite Pop Artist
,
, -
, What a Hottie!
,
, -
, Adamari López and Luis Fonsi
, Hottest Romance
,
, -
, rowspan=7, 2012 Premios Juventud, 2012
, rowspan=4, Luis Fonsi
, Follow me The Good
,
, -
, My Favorite Concert
,
, -
, Favorite Pop Artist
,
, -
, Best Moves
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Tierra Firme"
, Everything I touch it
,
, -
, My Favorite Concert
,
, -
, "Respira"
, Best Ballad
,
, -
, rowspan=3, 2017 Premios Juventud, 2017
, rowspan=3, "Despacito"
, The Perfect Combination
,
, -
, Best Song For Singing
,
, -
, Best Song For perfection
,
, -
, 2019 Premios Juventud, 2019
, "Imposible"
, Best Song: Singing in the Shower
,
Television
*''Amantes de Luna Llena'' (2000); ''Special appearance''
*'' Taina'' (2001); ''Special appearance''
*''Corazones al límite
''Corazones al límite'' (English: ''Hearts to the Limit'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Roberto Hernández Vázquez for Televisa in 2004.
On Monday, March 15, 2004, Canal de las Estrellas started broadcasting ''Corazones al límite'' wee ...
'' (2004); ''Roy''
*''Llena de amor'' (2010); ''Special appearance''
*''The Voice Chile'' (2015–16); ''Coach''
*''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' (2017, 2019); guest performer
*''El hormiguero'' (2017, 2018, 2018 (La Voz (Spanish TV series), La Voz), 2019, 2020, 2021, 2021 (La Voz (Spanish TV series), La Voz), 2022, 2022 (La Voz (Spanish TV series), La Voz); Guest Performer
*''Lip Sync Battle'' (2018); Episode: "Luis Fonsi vs. Joan Smalls"
*''Drop the Mic'' (2018); Episode: "Seth Rogen vs. Joseph Gordon-Levitt / Terry Crews vs. Luis Fonsi"
*''The Voice (U.S. TV series)#La Voz, La Voz'' (2019-); ''Coach'' (with Wisin
Juan Luis Morera Luna (; born December 19, 1978), best known as his stage name Wisin (), is a Puerto Rican reggaeton rapper, singer and record producer, best known as a member of the reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel. Wisin is noted for his unique and ...
, Alejandra Guzmán
Gabriela Alejandra Guzmán Pinal (born February 9, 1968), known professionally as Alejandra Guzmán, and nicknamed "La Reina de Corazones" (The Queen of Hearts) is a Mexican musician, singer, composer, and actress. With more than 30 million album ...
, Carlos Vives
Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo (born 7 August 1961) is a Colombian singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his interpretation of traditional music styles of Colombia such as vallenato, cumbia, champeta, bambuco and porro as well as genres ...
)
*''Songland'' (2020)
* ''The Voice (American TV series), The Voice'' (2021) with Kelly Clarkson's team
See also
*List of Puerto Ricans
*List of composers by nationality
*List of Puerto Rican songwriters
References
External links
Universal Music Latin Entertainment , Luis Fonsi
Official website
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fonsi, Luis
1978 births
Living people
Dr. Phillips High School alumni
Florida State University alumni
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Latin pop singers
Male actors from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican male soap opera actors
Puerto Rican male telenovela actors
Puerto Rican pop singers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Puerto Rican singer-songwriters
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
21st-century Puerto Rican male actors
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
21st-century Puerto Rican singers